In the installation of wall to wall carpets it has long been recognized that it is necessary to physically urge or stretch the end of the carpet into position, that is, against one wall. When appropriately tensioned the carpet is then held in place as by suitably adhered tacking strips or the like.
The stretcher when applied to the end of the carpet must be braced against a wall opposite to the side to which the tension or stretching effort is being applied. A conventional stretcher has a foot having a plurality of downwardly depending spikes which are inserted through a portion of the carpet, by means of which the end portion of the carpet is suitably grasped.